Electrical cutout



' June 16, 1942 G w, L ER 2,286,534

ELECTRICAL CUTOUT Filed Feb. 23, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l rmems'v June 16,1942. G. w. GOLDNER 2,286,534

ELECTRICAL CUTOUT Filed Feb. 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 16, 1942 ELECTRICAL CUTOUT George W. Goldner, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February23, 1940, Serial No. 320,254

12 Claims. (Cl. 200-118) This invention relates generally to electrical cutout devices and more specifically to an improved series sectionalizing cutout adapted particularly for use with series street lighting circuits, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an improved device of this type which is capable of performing its intended function in an improved and highly efflcient manner.

An ordinary series street lighting circuit of 40 kw. capacity is made up of approximately fifteen miles of conductor and in these circuits open circuits occur from time to time, usually during bad weather conditions. It is not a simple matter to patrol fifteen miles of series circuit, particularly on a stormy night,-and locate and repair an open circuit and this renders such faults both costly to the power companies and hazardous to the distribution maintenance men whose duties require them to keep the circuits in operating condition.

In order to eliminate much of the trouble heretofore encountered in maintaining street lighting circuits in working condition the improved series sectionalizing cutout disclosed herein was devised. The predominant feature of the operation of this device is that it breaks long circuits into relatively small component sections, any one of which will be automatically isolated from the remainder of the circuit when an open circuit occurs in a component section. Because of this arrangement the length of the circuit to be patrolled to locate an open circuit may be reduced by any desired amount, depending on the number of cutouts installed.

A distinct feature of the construction and arrangement of the improved device is that the device is completely housed when in its operating condition, the housing including a door which carries a fuse tube that encloses a fuse link which is provided with a spark gap and is arranged in series and connected across the main circuit. Also this door carries switch blades which normally complete the connections from the main circuit to the loop circuit. Because of this improved arrangement an open circuit occurring in the loop circuit will cause the voltage across the gap of the fuse link to immediately increase to the open circuit voltage of the constant current transformer. The gap then sparks over, establishing a circuit through the fuse link which separates, and when this happens the door swings from its closed to its open position carrying with it, and out of their normal operating positions, the fuse tube and the switch blades so as to electrically isolate the loop circuit from the main circuit.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the improved device. the housing being shown in section and a part of the hanger being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the housing of the improved device with the door removed therefrom.

Fig.3 is a view looking toward the inner face of the door of the device showing the fuse tube, switch blades and other parts associated therewith. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the improved fuse link which forms a part of the cutout.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 6-8 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 7 is a diagrammatical view illustrating a plurality of the improved devices in association with a main circuit and a plurality of loop circuits.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates generally the improved cutout device. The cutout device A comprises a housing I which is formed of porcelain or other suitable electrical insulating material, said housing adjacent to its lower end being provided with hinge elements 2 that are embedded in the porcelain of the housing as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The housing has fixed to it, through the instrumentality of a bolt 3, a suitable hanger 4 which serves in an obvious manner to attach the device to a support. The housing i includes a door 5 which is formed of Bakelite or other suitable material, and is provided with hinge elements 6 which are provided with openings 1 adapted to receive the hinge elements 2 of the body portion of the housing in a manner to provide for hlngedly supporting the door on the body portion of the housing.

Arranged in the upper portion of the housing I is an upper contact, assembly which includes a base element 0 formed of Bakelite or other suitable electrical insulating material, the base element 8 having associated with it a pair of screws 9 and I for securing said base element in place (see Figs. 1 and 2). The screws 8 and 0 are seated in terminal elements l0 and i0 which are spaced apart and insulated from each other by an insulating block II, and electrical conductors i2 forming the incoming and outgoing leads of the main circuit with which the device is associated are extended into openings formed in the terminal elements I! and I0 and are elechead thereof.

trically and mechanically secured to said terminal elements by set screws I3. The terminal elements 10 and I and the insulating block H are enclosed within a sleeve I4 formed of Bakelite or other suitable material and the wall of this sleeve is provided with apertures through which the screws 9 and 9' and the set screws l3 extend. The upper terminal assembly comprising the sleeve l4, the terminal elements 10 and I0 and the intermediate insulating block H are disposed in an opening I5 formed in and extended transversely of the housing I and arcuate spacers l6 are interposed between forward portions of the sleeve and forward portions of the wall of the opening so as to center the terminal assembly with respect to said opening I5.

Secured to the upper portion of the base element 8' is a block I l to which'is attached a resilient element [8 that serves, as will presently appear herein, as a contact element and as a latch for securing the door 5 in its closed position, this block ll being formed of Bakelite or other suitable insulating material. The resilient element I3 is shaped. as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 6 and said resilient element is suitably secured to the block l1. Also the resilient element is electrically connected to the screw 9 by a connection 23 (Fig. 1).

Secured to the base element 8 and arranged so that they extend forwardly from the lower portion thereof are the upper contacts 24 of the improved device, these contacts beingspaced apart transversely of the housing as shown to the best advantage in Fig 2. At the rear ends of' the forwardly extended portions of the upper contacts 24 said contacts are provided with upwardly extended portions 24 which are interposed between rear face portions of the base element 8 and the face I of the housing. Adjacent to the upper end of each of the portions 24' an aperture is formed therethrough which is arranged in registration with a corresponding aperture formed through the base element 9 and extended through these registered apertures is a fastening device in the form of a sleeve 25 having upset opposite end portions providing flanges which contact with the forward face of the base element and with the rear face of the portions 24 of each upper contact (see Fig. 6). Through the sleeve 25 associated with the portion 24 of one of the upper contacts the screw 9 passes and through the sleeve 25 associated with the portion 24 of the other upper contact the screw 9' passes, each of the screws 9 and 9' having a lock washer 26 associated therewith beneath the The forward ends of the upper contacts are provided with downwardly and forwardly curved and upwardly extended portions as shown in Fig. 1.

Extended forwardly from the forward face of the base element 8 is a pair of spaced members 21 which are preferably formed of horn fiber. These members are provided with apertures 28 formed therethrough which are largely of tapered shape as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 5. The members 21 are provided with grooves 29 which extend longitudinally of said members, and the tapered apertures 28 lead into these grooves. Also at the forward end of each member 21 a rectangular opening 30 is provided which extends from the inner to the outer face of the member. The rectangular opening 30 of each member 21 is closed by an end element 3| which is secured to the forward end face of the member by screws 32, and these end elements are each provided with an opening 33 having an inclined wall which communicates with the rectangular opening of the associated member 21. Secured to the base element 8 at opposite sides thereof are spring arms 34. These spring arms include portions 35 which contact with the forward faces of the portions 24' of the upper contacts 24,'and forwardly extended portions which at their forward ends are provided with pins 31 which extend into the tapered apertures 28 formed in the members 27. The spring arms are secured to the base element by screws 38 which pass through apertures in the portions 35 thereof and in the portions 24' of the upper contacts.

Arranged for sliding movement in the grooves 29 of the members 21 isa switch element 40 which comprises a block formed of horn fiber to which is attached at its rear face a metallic plate 43, said metallic plate being provided with flange portions 44 at its opposite ends which contact with the faces at the bases of the grooves 29 of the members 21. The block of the switch element 40 is provided at its opposite sides with grooves 45 which extend rearwardly from the forward face of the block where said grooves are open, to a point intermediate the forward and rear faces of the block. The block of the switch element." is provided with a sleeve 43 which is formed integrally with and extends rearwardly from the plate 43 and is projected into an opening 41 formed in a member 48 supported by and secured to the base element 3. The opening 41 is closed at its rear end by the rear wall of the member 48 and an expansible and contractile coil spring 49 is disposed within the sleeve 46 with its opposite ends contacting respectively with a face within the block of the switch element 40 and the forward face of the rear wall of the member 43 so that the switch element 40 is urged forwardly of the grooves 29 of the members 21 by said coil spring. As is shown to the best advantage in Fig. 5 the end elements 3| serve as stops which close the forward ends of the grooves 29 and thereby limit .forward movement of the switch element 40 in response to force exerted thereagainst by the coil spring 49.

Arranged in the lower portion of the housing I is the lower contact assembly 50 of the improved device (see Figs. 1 and 2). Thisassembly includes a pair of transversely spaced resilient contacts 5| which are secured by fastening devices 52 to insulating means 53 fixed to the housing at a face 54 thereof. The insulating means 53 are secured in place by screws 55 which extend through apertures formed through the contacts '5! and pass through apertures formed through the insulating means 53, these screws passing also through apertures 56 formed in portions of the housing and being seated in termi-- nal elements 51 arranged in a transversely extended opening 58 formed in the housing. The lower terminal assembly of which the terminal elements 51 form parts is constructed and arranged just as is the upper terminal assembly illustrated in Fig. 6; that is to say the terminal elements 51 are enclosed within an insulatin sleeve 59 and conductors 60 forming the incoming and outgoing leads of the loop circuit-are extended into apertures formed in said terminal elements and are secured in place therein by set screws 6%. Also arcuate spacers 62 are interposed between portions of the sleeve 59 and portions of the wall of the opening 58 so as to center the sleeve within the opening. Obviously the screws 55 act as conductors for conducting electrical energy from the terminal elements to the resilient contacts inasmuch as metallic lock washers 55' contact with said resilient contacts and with the heads of the screws 55.

Secured to the door 5 of the housing I of the improved device is a pair of transversely spaced angle elements 53 with which the upper contacts 24 contact when the door is in a closed position, and secured to said door at lower points thereof is a pair of transversely spaced angle elements 54 with which the lower contacts 5| contact when the door is in a closed position. The angle elements 53 and the angle elements 54 are electrically connected by switch blades 55 which are disposed at opposite sides of the door, screws 55 being employed for securing said angle ements and said switch blades in electrical contact with each other and for attaching said parts to the door.

It is obvious that when the door 5 is in the closed position electrical energy will flow from the conductors |2 by way of the terminal elements l5 and I5 and screws 9 and 9 to the upper contacts 24, from said upper contacts by way of the angular elements 53, switch blades 55 and angular elements 54 to the lower contacts 5|, and from the lower contacts by way of the screws 55 and terminal elements 51 to the conductors 55.

Formed on the door 5 is an inwardly proiected extension 51 in which a vertically extended Opening 51' is formed, and secured by screws 55 to the lower portion of the door is a bracket 69 having a horizontally arranged portion I5 in which a similar opening is formed. It is to be noted that one of the switch blades 55 is electrically and mechanically connected to the bracket 59 at 55 as shown in Fig. 3, and also that the hinge elements 5 of the door are parts of the bracket 59. Mounted in the opening 51, and in the opening of the horizontal portion III of the bracket 59, is a tube II which preferably comprises a pair of tubular elements arranged one within the other, the inner tubular element bein formed of horn fiber and the outer tubular element being formed of Bakelite or other suitable material.

The upper end P rtion of the inner tubular element of the tube 1|, which extends upwardly beyond the outer tubular element of said tube H, has fixedly mounted thereon an externally screwthreaded sleeve I2, and screwthreadedly mounted on said sleeve is an internally screwthreaded cap I5, the top wall of the cap being provided with an upwardly projected extension I4, The cap I3 and its extension I4 are formed of electrical conducting material and said cap is surrounded by a sleeve I5 formed of Bakelite or other suitable electrical insulatingmaterial. At a point immediately below the cap I5 the tube II has fixed thereto a collar which is provided with a pin II that secures the collar to the tube II and on which a head 15, formed of fiber or other suitable 'material, is mounted. This collar is so arranged that the head I5 thereof contacts with the forward face of the block of the switch element when the door is in the closed position so as to move said switch element rearwardly against the action of the coil spring 49. Also, when the door is in a closed position, as will presently appear herein, the extension I4 of the cap I3 is engaged mechanically and electrically by the resilient element l5.

Secured to the tube adjacent to its lower end is an element I9 which is provided with an extension 55 that is projected into a vertical slot formed in the vertical portion of the bracket 59 and an alined vertically extended groove formed in the door 5, and interposed between said element I9 and the horizontal portion I5 of the bracket 59 is an expansible coil spring 5|. The coil spring tends to move the tube downwardly, but in the normal fusing position of the device such movement is opposed by a fuse link 52 that extends through the tube, said fuse link being provided with a head 53 at its upper end which is seated between the top face of the inner tubular element of the tube II and the inner face of the top wall of the cap I3 as shown in Fig. 1. When the device is in its normal operative position the lower end portion of the fuse link, which is extended from the open lower end of the tube, is engaged by 1 a pair of elements so as to prevent downward movement of the tube in response to pressure exerted by the coil spring 8|. One of these elements is a downwardly extended arm 54, which as shown in Fig. 3 includes an upper bifurcated portion that embraces an eye portion 55 formed at the inner end of the horizontal portion I5 01 the bracket 59. The pivoted connection between the arm 54 and the horizontal portion of the bracket 59 is provided by a pin 55 which extends through the outer bearing portions of the bifurcated part of the arm, and through the eye portion 55. At the lower end of the arm 54 a substantially hook-shaped portion is provided, this hook-shaped portion being produced by a lower, laterally extended, portion 51 which is provided at its outer end with an upwardly projected extension 55. The upper portion of the laterally extended portion 51 of the arm 54 is tapered as shown by dotted lines at 59 in Fig. l.

The element I9 which is mounted on the lower portion of the tube II is in the form of a split collar having outwardly extended ears through which a fastening device 9| is extended for drawing said ears together so as to clamp the element on the tube, and pivotally connected to th s element is a toggle member 92. A portion of the toggle member is interposed between the ears of the element I9 and the fastening device 9| extends through an opening formed through this portion of the toggle member so as to pivotally attach the toggle member to the element I9. The toggle member 92 is provided with a curved seat 95 at its lower end, and said member is provided with an extension 94 which extends upwardly and inwardly relative to the housing when the device is in its normal operative position. Also the toggle member is provided with an abutment 95 adapted to contact with the tube when the device is in its normal operative pqsition.

When the device is in its normal operating position the lower end of the fuse link 52 extends out of the open lower end of the tube and passes between the tapered upper portion of the lateral part 51 of the arm 54 and the curved seat 93 of the toggle member 92 as shown by dotted lines in Fig, 1. The fuse link 51 is turned about the lower edge of the tube and therefore the downward force exerted by the coil spring 5| tensions the fuse link and draws the arm 54 and toggle member 92 to such positions that the abutment 95 contacts with the tube as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the substantially vertically disposed arm 54 in engagement with the toggle member 92 BIC.

involves producing the spaced members 21 and the block of the switch element from horn fiber which in the presence of the heat of an electric arc gives off gas which tends to extinguish the Also the openings 28, the openings produced by the combined apertures 30 and 33 of the spaced members 21 and the end elements 3|, and the grooves 45 in the switch element 40 provide passageways for the escape outwardly of this gas from between the spaced members 21 so as to avoid any chance of a short circuit because of the presence of the gas.

In Fig. 7 the device is illustrated diagrammatically'in association with a main circuit and a plurality of loop circuits, the main circuit being by the reference characters A A", A and A In Fig. 7 a situation is illustrated where an open circuit has occurred in the loop circuit L with the result that the door of the associated cutout A fha's dropped open to isolate the defective loop circuit and to complete the main circuit through I the cutout. It is noted that in the situation 11- lustrated in Fig. '7 the loop circuits L L and L continue in an operative condition without being affected by th isolation of the defective loop circuit L I claim:

1. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link usociated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, saldfuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, and fusible means associated with one of said electrodes which is fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to cause separation of parts of said fuse link.

2. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed, circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provid a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, and fusible means associated with one of said electrodes which is fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to cause separation of parts of said fuse link.

3. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of'electrical insulating material-spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, and fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through'the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for Separation of the fuse link.

4. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current'through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for separation of the fuse link, and an element disposed adjacent to said fusible means, said element being formed of ma-. terial which possesses arc-extinguishing properties in the presence of an electrical arc.

5. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with grid fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to efifect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for separation of the fuse link, and a tubular element surrounding a portion of said conductor and disposed adjacent to said fusible means, said tubular element being formed of material which possesses arc-extinguishing properties in the presence of an electrical arc.

6. A cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current 'heat produced by through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connectto the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for separation of thefuse link, and a coil spring adapted to move said conductor away from the electrode with which it is normally associated upon fusing of said fusible means.

'7. A'cutout comprising a fuse mechanism having open and closed circuit positions, a separable fuse link associated with said fuse mechanism and adapted when intact to prevent movement of said fuse mechanism from closed circuit position but when separated permitting movement of the fuse mechanism to open circuit position, said fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuselink only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide forv separation of the fuse link, a coil spring adapted to move said conductor away from the electrode with which it is normally associated upon fusing of said fusible means, and

a tubular element which surrounds a portion of said conductor and which is surrounded by said coil spring and is disposed adjacent to said fusible means, said tubular element being formed of material which possesses arc-extinguishing tor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for separation of the fuse link.

10. A unitary fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to'provide for separation of the'fuse link, and a coil spring adapted to move said conductor away from the electrode with which it is normally associated upon fusing of said fusible means.

11. A unitary fuse link comprising'a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of properties in the presence of an electrical arc.

8. A unitary fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break downto effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, and fusible means associated with one of said electrodes which is fused by passage of current through the fuse link to cause separation of partsof said fuselink.

9. Aunitary fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supported by and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, and fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to release said conducobstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage-a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusiblemeans being adapted to be fused by heat produced by-pas sage of current through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide for separation of the fuse link, and an element disposed adjacent to said fusible means, said element being formed of material which possesses arc-extinguished properties in the presence of an electrical arc.

12. A unitary fuse link comprising a tube formed of electrical insulating material, spaced electrodes supportedby and located within said tube to provide a gap therein which is free of obstruction and is adapted to break down to effect flow of current through the fuse link only upon a predetermined voltage, a conductor, fusible means for connecting said conductor to one of said electrodes, said fusible means being adapted to be fused by heat produced by passage of current through the fuse link to release said conductor from its connection to the electrode with which it is normally associated to provide I GEORGE GQLDNER.

adjacent to said fusible means, 

